This National RTAP Technical Brief is a companion to the technical brief Getting Started: Creating a Vision and Strategy for Community Transportation. That preliminary document describes the process for building a foundation of values, needs, vision, strategy and community commitment for transit, one that ensures that the transit systems mission and goals are clearly stated and understood by all. The information in this technical brief outlines the important next steps: how the transit organization develops, designs and delivers its services. Developing, Designing and Delivering Community Transportation Services was originally created in 1994 and updated in 2022.

According to the National Center for Mobility Management (NCMM), “Coordinated transportation services are achieved when multiple entities work together in delivering one or more components of a transportation service so they can increase their capacity to provide trips.” Coordinating transit planning efforts with human services transportation and other types of service can reduce the burden of planning efforts and combine the development of several separate plans into a single combined plan. Like transportation coordination itself, sharing training practices and resources among agencies in a coordinated system will take time and commitment. But giving the time and commitment to proper training is worth the effort. 

This National RTAP Technical Brief from the John Martin Series introduces concepts that will help transit leaders incorporate vision and values into decision-making, set goals and priorities, and make their agency’s mission statement a part of how and why they do business.  The tech brief was launched in 2009 and updated in 2021.

This National RTAP/SUMC Technical Brief, Livable Communities: Transit Services and Infrastructure that Promote Livability, discusses the characteristics of a livable community, provides specific examples of enhancements to transportation services and infrastructure, suggests ways to implement a successful livability initiative, and presents grant opportunities.

As a first step in updating its resources and training materials regarding the Section 5311(f) Intercity Bus Program, the National Rural Transit Assistance Program, (National RTAP), conducted a survey to assess the needs of rural and tribal public and private intercity bus operators, state programs, and other parties essential to the development of a connected bus network. Developed in conjunction with partners at the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), and with input from members of the Transportation Research Board’s (TRB) AP055 Rural, Intercity Bus, and Specialized Transportation Committee, the survey was designed to collect information that would enable National RTAP to and research needs of the industry. The result of the survey will be used to develop training resources and to provide technical assistance.